The Nuclear Energy Agency - Nuclear Scientist(s)

THE NUCLEAR ENERGY AGENCY

The Nuclear Energy Agency (NEA) is an intergovernmental agency which operates under the framework of the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD). It facilitates co-operation among countries with advanced nuclear technology infrastructures to seek excellence in nuclear safety, technology, science, related environmental and economic matters and law. The mission of the NEA is to assist its 34 member countries in maintaining and further developing, through international cooperation, the scientific, technological and legal bases required for a safe, environmentally sound and economical use of nuclear energy for peaceful purposes. It strives to provide authoritative assessments and to forge common understandings on key issues as input to government decisions on nuclear technology policies.

The goals of the NEA Division of Nuclear Science and Education and the NEA Data Bank are to help member countries identify, collate, develop and disseminate basic scientific and technical knowledge required to ensure the safe, reliable and economic operation of current nuclear systems and to develop next-generation technologies. Under the guidance of the NEA Nuclear Science Committee (NSC), multiple Working Parties bring together experts in criticality safety and nuclear data to advance the state of the art and work on collaborative projects, including the internationally-recognised International Criticality Safety Benchmark Evaluation project (ICSBEP) and the Joint Evaluated Fission and Fusion (JEFF) project.

THE POSITION

The NEA is seeking to recruit one or more Nuclear Scientists to provide technical and secretariat support to Nuclear Science Committee and Data Bank activities in the area of criticality safety and nuclear data. The selected candidate will work within the Division of Nuclear Science and Education or Data Bank, under the supervision of Head of the Division of Nuclear Science and Education or Head of the Data Bank.

Job Description

Main Responsibilities

Technical secretariat support and co-ordination

• Provide secretariat support to the Working Party on Nuclear Criticality Safety (WPNCS), Working Party on International Nuclear Data Evaluation Co-operation (WPEC), and/or Joint Evaluated Fission and Fusion (JEFF) project, their expert groups and/or subgroups, including the preparation of meetings, drafting/editing of technical/scientific reports and maintaining relevant websites.
• Support the maintenance, continued development and/or communication/training on relevant international databases, handbooks and/or applications, such as the ICSBEP Handbook, Database for ICSBEP (DICE), Java-based Nuclear Information System (JANIS), and/or Nuclear Data Sensitivity Tool (NDaST). Work with the expert community to test the current version of the tools and integrate them into workflows for the international community.
• Advance the Nuclear Science Committee and/or Data Bank programme of work related to criticality safety and/or nuclear data.
• Organise international scientific workshops and conferences, including the preparation of proceedings. Draft and present reports both to NEA committees and working groups, as well as at international workshops and conferences.
• Anticipate the implications of trends and identify the specific needs of member countries in his/her area of expertise, and advise management on how to respond.

Liaison and outreach

• Develop good working relationships and close contacts with national experts. Maintain necessary co-ordination and close co-operation with other international organisations active in the field of criticality safety and/or nuclear data.
• Ensure close co-ordination with other activities within the NEA, as required. Assist in developing transversal activities with the Radioactive Waste Management Committee (RWMC), Committee on the Safety of Nuclear Installations (CSNI) and Nuclear Development Committee (NDC).
• Cultivate strategic partnerships by developing and maintaining strong working relationships with senior national experts and decision-makers. Lead high-level co-ordination and foster close co-operation with other international organisations active in the field of criticality safety and/or nuclear data.
• Facilitate the information exchange through websites and a collaborative platform area.
• Promote the visibility and application of work products and facilitate the publication of reports.

Other

• Carry out other related duties assigned by the Head of the Division of Nuclear Science and Education and/or Head of the Data Bank.

Qualifications

Academic and Professional Background

• Advanced university degree in nuclear physics or nuclear engineering or a related subject.
• A minimum of five years’ research experience in the nulcear sector (research laboratories, industry, technical support organisations or similar) with specific experience in nuclear criticality safety and/or nuclear data.
• Demonstrated experience in preparing research materials for publication and dissemination (e.g. peer-reviewed scientific publications, scientific/engineering reports, working papers or other technical material).
• Excellent knowledge of nuclear criticality analysis, nuclear data evaluation/processing/testing, and/or use of data and benchmarks for verification and validation exercises.

Additional Information

Core Competencies

• For this role, the following competencies would be particularly important: Vision and Strategy (Level 2); Enable People (Level 1); Ethics and Integrity (Level 2); Collaboration and Horizontality (Level 2); Achieve Results (Level 2); Innovate and Embrace Change (Level 2).
• There are three possible levels for each competency. The level for each competency is determined according to the specific needs of each job role and its associated grade.
• To learn more about the definitions for each competency for levels 1-3, please refer to OECD Core Competencies OECD Core Competencies.

Communication and Languages

• Fluency in one of the two OECD official languages (English and French) and knowledge of, or a willingness to learn, the other.

Closing Date

This vacancy will be filled as soon as possible, and applications should reach us no later than midnight Sunday 24 November 2024 (23:59 Paris time).

Contract Duration

• Two-year fixed term appointment, with the possibility of renewal.

Please note that our Rules and Regulations stipulate that the mandatory retirement age is 65.

What the OECD offers

• Depending on level of experience, monthly salary starts at 6665.76 EUR, plus
• Monthly base salary starting from 7738.74 plus allowances, based on eligibility, exempt of French income tax.
• Please note that the appointment may be made at a lower grade depending on the qualifications and professional experience of the selected applicant.

Process

All applications are screened based on the criteria for the position. For candidates who are shortlisted, written tests are foreseen end Nov 2024, and panel interviews are anticipated early Dec 2024.